Emma Nelson

Helping children balance emotions and logic when making decisions Have you ever watched your child make a decision in the middle of a huge emotion and thought, “I know you’re upset, but let’s slow down and think about this”? Children are still developing the ability to pause, consider consequences, and make thoughtful decisions when emotions are running high. This doesn't mean they are being difficult or intentionally making poor choices. Their emotions can sometimes feel much bigger than...

As parents, caregivers, and therapists, one of the hardest things to watch is a child feeling overwhelmed by things they cannot change. Kids often worry about what others think, mistakes they have made, future events, friendships, school situations, or things happening around them. Their brains are still developing the skills needed to separate what they can control from what they cannot control. The Circle of Control is a simple but powerful tool that helps children understand where to focus...

Children often face confusing emotions and thoughts that can affect their well-being and development. Sometimes, these thoughts are distorted or inaccurate, leading to unnecessary stress or anxiety. Teaching children how to recognize and challenge these cognitive distortions can help them build healthier thinking patterns and improve their emotional resilience. Cognitive distortions are biased ways of thinking that make situations seem worse or different than they really are. When children...